Global RNA-RNA interactome mapping in B. burgdorferi reveals base-pairing sRNAs that rewire gene expression across growth

A global RNA-RNA interactome map in Borrelia burgdorferi identifies growth-phase-dependent base-pairing sRNA networks, including an sRNA that directly binds and downregulates ospA.

• Why it matters: sRNAs regulate gene expression via base pairing, but B. burgdorferi lacks a global, end-resolved map of these RNAs and their target interactions across growth.
• What they did: The study combined 5'RNA-seq, total RNA-seq, and 3'RNA-seq to define sRNA candidates and ends, then used Hi-GRIL-seq to ligate proximal RNAs in-bacterium and sequence sRNA-target pairs across growth.
• The result: Hundreds of sRNA candidates and sRNA-target pairs were detected, with growth-phase-specific interactions; detailed validation included one sRNA predicted to bind 92 targets and one sRNA that directly binds and downregulates ospA.